The present invention relates generally to a multi-function rotary dial which can perform a variety of functions including timer setting. More specifically, the invention relates to a rotary dial which is applicable to video tape recorders (VTR) and so forth and designed to allow timer setting for timer-activated recording, and other functions.
Recent VTRs have various operational functions such as forward and/or reverse speed reproduction, still reproduction, variable speed reproduction, and timer-activated automatic recording, in addition to normal recording and reproducing functions. In order to allow manual operation or selection of the desired operation, VTRs are provided with a plurality of operation switches which are generally arranged on the front side of the VTR sets. These switch arrangements become more complicated as the number of functions built into the VTRs increases. This makes it difficult to arrange and operate the switches.
For manually setting the time, conventional VTRs are provided with a timer set key for entry into timer-set mode, an up key and a down key for advancing and retarding week, date and time values so as to select desired start and end times, a NEXT key for selecting the next item to be set, and a timer-record ON/OFF key. This conventional arrangement is not satisfactorily convenient for timer setting because of rather complicated manual operations required. In order to simplify the timer setting operation, some conventional VTR sets employs ten-key pads as a replacement for the up/down keys. Although these ten-key arrangements are convenient for setting timers, they tend to make the key-board arrangement more complicated and difficult to arrange.